DEARBORN — The National Association of Yemeni Americans held a two-day community symposium in Dearborn on June 28 and 29, bringing together community organizations, government officials and academics.

The group hosted panel discussions on health and social services, youth and second-generation integration into American culture, civil rights, political awareness, educational challenges, economic development, women’s rights and democracy in Yemen.

Osama Siblani, president of the Arab American Political Action Committee and publisher of The Arab American News, spoke during a panel on Yemeni-American relations and democracy in Yemen, describing the country as a ray of hope for Arabs in and outside the Arab World. He said that while most Arab countries have become increasingly divided along sectarian and political lines, Yemen united itself, becoming one country after having once been two.

“The unity of Yemen is going to be the lead… the future of the unity of Arabs. The blood that was invested in uniting Yemen will bring together Lebanon and Syria and Palestine and Jordan… There is no way for us to live without each other,” Siblani said.

Political science professor Lisa Wedeen, of the University of Chicago, spoke about Yemen as one of the most democratic of all the Arab countries, despite an imperfect election process. She said that having a free press, a thorough and transparent judicial system and religious sermons that frequently criticize the government openly make up for deficiencies in popular control over leadership.

“If we think of democracy less in terms of elections and more in everyday political participation and debate, Yemen is more democratic than most countries in the Middle East,” Wedeen said.